Fukushima Unit 1-2 Vent Tower Dismantled

The upper half of the unit 1-2 vent tower has been cut down and the vent pipe has been capped. The base of the tower has been one of the most radioactive locations on site outside of the reactors.

Work to cut down the tower has been going on for months using a cutting jig that lopped off sections of the tower bit by bit.

The removed sections were wrapped in plastic and eventually stored on the hill.

Smaller debris from the tower was gathered up and stored in shielded boxes.

Concerns about the tower increased when it was discovered that the framework of the tower had been damaged in the initial disaster and was at risk of failure. Work to cut down the tower removed the upper half above the damaged area. The remaining lower tower includes the highly radioactive tower base area. Work to remove that portion currently would be too dangerous and complicated. TEPCO has not presented any plan for the eventual removal of the lower section and base.